Cleveland Browns (2007 & prior)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Crennel gets angry

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

Bob DeMay/Akron Beacon Journal
Cleveland's Kamerion Wimbley get a piece of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's face mask on a sack in the fourth quarter of a football game, Sunday, Nov 20, 2006, at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.

BEREA - Romeo Crennel finally showed some outward frustration and anger as the Cleveland Browns slipped to 3-7.
Crennel's blood simmered when asked about the penalty against Simon Fraser late in the first half.
Fraser was flagged for a personal foul when he twice knocked Ben Roethlisberger to the ground during Daven Holly's interception return.
``In our protecting the quarterback, some of these calls are judgment calls,'' Crennel said.
He continued.
``In this situation, the quarterback was trying to make the tackle and we blocked him,'' Crennel said. ``He became a defender and we blocked him. When he got blocked on the ground, he got up and we blocked him again. If that block were made on another defender, they wouldn't have called that.
``They said that the second block was unnecessary so they called it. I think we should tell the quarterback to lie on the ground if he doesn't want to be a defender. If we do that, it should be clear for everybody.''
Had the flag not been thrown, the Browns would have had the ball at about the 5-yard line late in the first half. (Although Brian Russell recovered Holly's fumble in the end zone, a fumble can't be advanced in the final two minutes of either half). The flag on Fraser meant the Browns started at Pittsburgh's 44, and the subsequent drive went nowhere.
The significance?
Crennel said one play somewhere would have meant the Browns beat the Steelers. Especially in the fourth quarter, when Roethlisberger picked the Browns apart, throwing for 229 yards as the Steelers scored three touchdowns.
``If we could have made one play, that would have impacted the game,'' Crennel said.
Had Kamerion Wimbley gotten a sack instead of a face-mask penalty...
Had the defense not allowed Pittsburgh to convert on third and 20...
Had Nick Eason tackled Roethlisberger instead of bumping him...
Had someone knocked a pass down...
Had someone gotten a sack...
``I don't know that we'd change the game plan,'' Crennel said. ``It was going well. They had that long drive, which wore us down a little bit. Maybe that impacted us in not being able to make some plays.
``The game plan overall was decent.''
The Browns put a lot into the Steelers game, a lot into taking a step toward avenging the 41-0 embarrassment of last season.
In the locker room after the game, the players were nearly despondent. The feeling of disappointment was palpable.
Crennel now must guard against his team being demoralized at 3-7.
Last pass
Crennel said Braylon Edwards did not really run his route on the game's final play, but he said the route was not there.
After the game, Charlie Frye said Edwards was supposed to run an out, similar to the route on first down of that drive.
On that play, the Browns gained 19 yards.
A similar route gives the Browns a chance from the 22-yard-line.
But Crennel said the route was ``not there'' -- presumably the Steelers took it away -- so Edwards drifted to where the ball was, or was going to be since he drifted before Frye's throw.
The play turned into a quasi ``Hail Mary'' from the 22 -- and Hail Marys are tough to complete.
Even so, Crennel said Edwards did the proper thing.
``In this case, yes,'' Crennel said. ``If there were 14 minutes left on the clock, then it might not have been the proper thing to do.''
Edwards coming up with the ball on the last play of the game or first half would have been ``great plays,'' Crennel said.
The last one would have been moot, however. Edwards clearly stepped out of bounds after the ball first was tipped in the air.
Brownies. . .
Of Nick Eason pulling off Roethlisberger in the fourth quarter, Crennel said: ``That's tough to judge (if Eason should just play to the whistle). We are told we are protecting the quarterback. They tell the official to always err on the side of player safety.''... Crennel said the Browns may have to be more creative in the red zone to get more touchdowns.... Crennel gave players the day off because he said they were weary and needed time to recover from injuries.... Did the Browns earn the Steelers' respect? ``I think the Steelers appreciated the way that we played the game, the fact that we were competitive in the game,'' Crennel said. ``Whether we won their respect or not, I don't know. It really doesn't make any difference.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

MorningJournal

Browns will repeat mindset vs. Bengals
JEFF SCHUDEL, Morning Journal Writer
11/22/2006


BEREA -- Since Dec. 26 of last year, the Browns pointed to their game against the Steelers. They did not know at the time when the game would appear on the 2006 schedule, but they began gearing up for it nine months before the season began.


They poured everything into the game, which they lost 24-20 last Sunday. Now, they have to do it all over again this Sunday when they meet the Cincinnati Bengals in Cleveland Browns Stadium. At 3-7, the Browns have little to play for but pride and jobs the last six games.

''This next game will show what kind of heart we have,'' cornerback Daven Holly said. ''We have to watch film, continue to practice hard, play hard and they have to continue to coach us hard. I'm confident we'll turn this around and start to finish games around here.''

Holly signed on with the Browns July 13, less than three weeks before training camp started. He was drafted in 2005 by the 49ers, didn't make the final roster, and spent the 2005 season with the Bears. He played in only three games and didn't start any. He made seven tackles and broke up two passes. Now he starts for the Browns because cornerback has been a three-car pileup most of the season.

Holly does not talk like someone who has been with the Browns for less than five months. He sounds more like a player who has lived through all the anguish of the first seven seasons and what is unfolding this year.

Holly has played in seven games and started six. He missed one with an illness.

''I think we might have earned some respect from Pittsburgh,'' Holly said. ''But until we start winning around here and get this town buzzing, people are still going to be doubtful.

''Browns football is huge. Fan supported us (Sunday). They willed us to go on. I think we showed them we are a team for the city. We're going to pull these games out. I'm confident of that.''

Fans seem grimmer than the players after the way the Browns lost to the Steelers. The Browns led 10-0 after three quarters and 20-10 with five minutes to play. They gave up 224 yards passing in the fourth quarter. The Browns produced two yards of offense in the fourth quarter, not counting a 92-yard kick return by Joshua Cribbs, while the Steelers were scoring three touchdowns.

''The Browns are going to be all right,'' tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said. ''This team has a lot of heart. We have to concentrate on the little things in practice, the little things in games. We're protecting Charlie (Frye) better, but we still give up too many sacks.''

One reason coach Romeo Crennel gave players Monday off was so they could clear their heads and get ready for the Bengals. Crennel is confident there will be no letdown.

''You look at what you put into this game and see how close you came,'' Crennel said. ''We could have won it. If we put the same kind of effort into the next game, we can win it. That's what we have to focus on.

''It's a division opponent and it has an impact. It's a home football game and we have to focus on some of those things.''

Revenge worked as motivation against the Steelers. The same emotion could drive the Browns this week. The Bengals thrashed them 34-17 in Cincinnati in the second game of the season. The Bengals have beaten the Browns four straight times.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Edwards questions play-calling

Browns receiver says `punch it in' when near goal

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - This week was Braylon Edwards' turn to question the Browns play-calling.
Edwards said Wednesday the Browns are not aggressive enough in the red zone (inside the opponent's 20-yard line).
``We have playmakers,'' Edwards said as the Browns prepared for Sunday's game against Cincinnati. ``We have play calls. But we get down there and we don't seem to call those plays.''
Where does this come from, Edwards was asked.
``Certain people within that staff,'' Edwards said of the coaching staff. ``That's not our mind-set. Every time I get down there, I'm ready to punch it in. Every time K-II (Kellen Winslow) gets down there we're ready to punch it in. That's just how we as the players think.
``When we get down there, we don't go down there for three points. I don't play special teams. I'm not a field-goal kicker. That does not benefit me. When I get in the red zone, I want six.''
The Browns have been inside the opponents' 20-yard-line 29 times this season. They've scored 13 touchdowns and kicked 12 field goals.
That ranks 13th in the AFC, and 23rd in the NFL.
``I think the play calling needs to be more aggressive,'' Edwards said. ``We get down there and we're just happy to be there. I think that's how it's been all season. We get down there and it's, `Hey, we're here, we know we're going to get three. If we luck up and get six, so be it.'
``We just got to be aggressive.''
Sunday against Pittsburgh, the Browns were in the red zone twice and got field goals twice. They ended the game at the 22-yard-line with an incomplete pass.
The red-zone problems?
``To be honest, that does not stem from me,'' Edwards said.
Edwards also called into question a hit by a teammate the first time the Browns played the Bengals.
That hit was by safety Brian Russell, who leveled Chad Johnson and left the Pro Bowl receiver dragging himself off the field, his mouth bloodied and his head woozy.
Edwards was asked as a receiver how he looks on that hit and another by a San Diego safety on Cincinnati receiver T.J. Houshmandzedeh, and he used a bad word about it.
``Obviously, I won't say anything to Brian because he didn't hit me,'' Edwards said. ``The guy is on the opposite team and I'm not taking up for that guy. But if you just look at the nature of the game, they always complain when we do anything like put our hands on them or we cut block. They want to fight you after the play.
``But yet we have plays like that where... Chad Johnson clearly wasn't catching that pass. Leigh Bodden had already intercepted it and then Brian just leveled him. And you see it time and time again.''
Edwards and Johnson seem to be friends. The two exchanged a warm greeting and chatted for about 30 minutes at the team hotel when the Browns played in Cincinnati.
Russell was not penalized for his hit. San Diego's Marlon McCree was penalized for interference, but the hit clearly was helmet to helmet
``I don't see a need for those two plays,'' Edwards said. ``I just really don't.''
Russell was not fined for the hit, and the day after the game Johnson said the hit was clean.
``The one thing I did hear after the hit was that he respected it as a clean play,'' Russell said.
On Wednesday, Johnson and Russell both dismissed the play.
``I'm going to try to hit anybody I get a chance to, if it's a clean shot,'' Russell said. ``If I get a chance to hit somebody this week it's going to happen.
``I don't care about that,'' Johnson said. ``It's football, man. I don't care about no hits. It's going to happen. It's part of the game.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Notebook

Wright winner after Steelers game

Droughns' fill-in gets Crennel's attention

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Jason Wright's day against the Pittsburgh Steelers appears to have earned him more playing time.
Wright, a second-year-back from Northwestern, filled in for Reuben Droughns and averaged 4.1 yards per carry.
Coach Romeo Crennel said it might be intriguing to see what a combination of Droughns and Wright could do.
Droughns has not had a great season, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry. He was sidelined against the Steelers with a sprained foot.
``I think that if we can get everybody to the game, that would be intriguing to have that mix and see how defenses handle two different guys,'' Crennel said.
On Droughns
Of Droughns' season, which has him on pace to gain 755 yards, Crennel said: ``I don't think he feels like this is what he wants his season to be like. He's had a couple of injuries and the ball hasn't come his way as many times as he has wanted it to.
``When you give him the ball, he runs hard with it and that's what you have to look for from him.''
Going retro
The Browns will have a retro look Sunday, when they play the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Browns will wear uniforms from the 1957-59 seasons, which will feature numbers on the helmet, no brown stripe on the helmet and striped socks rather than all brown.
Injury report
Several Browns were listed as questionable on the weekly injury report.
Guard Cosey Coleman will try to use a special shoe to protect a foot injury.
Droughns (foot), Braylon Edwards (forearm), S Brian Russell (elbow), NT Ted Washington (elbow), LB Leon Williams (ankle), TE Kellen Winslow (knee), CB Leigh Bodden (ankle), S Justin Hamilton (back) and LB Willie McGinest (ankle) are all listed as questionable.
Bodden, McGinest, Hamilton and Russell missed the team portion of practice.
Good deed
Center LeCharles Bentley will host a Thanksgiving meal for more than 500 people at Victor's Memorable Occasion Banquet Hall on E. 93rd in Cleveland.
Brownies . . .
Cincinnati has scored 72 points in the last two games.... If the Bengals win, they'll have beaten the Browns five times in a row for the first time in series history.... Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson set an NFL record with 450 yards receiving the last two games.... Cincinnati running back Rudi Johnson has averaged 160.5 yards in his four games against the Browns.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Crennel hoping Bodden can put clamps on Bengals
Thursday, November 23, 2006
BROWNS NOTEBOOK STEVE DOERSCHUK

BEREA Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel said getting Leigh Bodden back from an ankle injury would be ?pretty good for the defense.?

Chad Johnson, whom Bodden would cover Sunday, pretty much agrees.
?(Bodden) is one of the best cover corners I have gone against,? Johnson said Wednesday. ?He ranks right up there with Champ (Bailey), DeAngelo (Hall) and Nate Clements because of his ability to cover a small area of the field with no help.?
Johnson comes to Cleveland on fire. He gave the Bengals 11 catches for 260 yards in a 49-41 loss to the Chargers on Nov. 12, then hung a 190-yard, three-touchdown Sunday on the Saints.
In Johnson?s last two games against Bodden, he has totaled eight catches for 100 yards.
Bodden has missed four of the last six games. In addition to being questionable for Sunday against Cincinnati, he is slightly mysterious.
?He has a technique that he plays with that I?ve never seen before,? Johnson said. ?He used it the first game, and he threw Carson?s and my rhythm off. He was very successful with it.?
Johnson, who was subdued by his standards during a conference call, refused to explain the technique.
?I?m sure he knows what I?m talking about,? Johnson said.
He also wouldn?t reveal his hindsight view of one of the season?s most jarring hits. On Sept. 17, he was clocked by Browns safety Brian Russell on a pass that became an interception.
?That was a long time ago,? Johnson said.
LEWIS SPEAKS
Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis has to prepare for a different offensive coordinator (Jeff Davidson) than the one (Mo Carthon) he beat Sept. 17.
?There is a little difference in their play calling,? Lewis said. ?They seem more comfortable in spread formations and allowing the quarterback to move and improvise more. They are keeping the tight end on the field more on third down and playing with a couple tight ends a lot.?
In September, Bengals fans were saying nothing less than a run to the conference title game would please them. At 5-5, ravaged by injuries, odds are they?ll miss the playoffs a year after winning the AFC North.
?We have to go and make hay every week now,? said Lewis, whose remaining games are Cleveland, Baltimore, Oakland, Indianapolis, Denver and Pittsburgh.

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail:
[email protected]


Browns notes
Droughns still doubtful Running back Reuben Droughns is ?better,? Head Coach Romeo Crennel said, but it?s too early to tell if he?ll face Cincinnati. Jason Wright showed good quickness while rushing 78 yards in Droughns? absence Sunday. Droughns has rushed for 65 or fewer yards in six of his eight 2006 starts.
McGinest ready to go It appears linebacker Willie McGinest will play, although he is listed as questionable with an ankle problem. McGinest?s absence in the Sept. 17 game was one reason the Bengals racked up 481 yards.
if the shoe fits Guard Cosey Coleman might have to play with a special shoe that eases stress on a foot injury.
afternoon off The Browns will practice and meet today, and be free to spend Thanksgiving any way they choose after 12:30 p.m. STEVE DOERSCHUK

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns vet takes new role in stride

Dennis Northcutt says being limited to punt returns `is what it is'

By Patrick McManamon

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - For some, it would be an insult.
For Dennis Northcutt, it's pretty much one more sign that his role with the Browns has been defined to one duty.
``I'm a punt returner,'' he said this week as the Browns prepared for Sunday's game against the Bengals.
According to Northcutt, the Browns coaching staff does not see him as a receiver.
``I was told by (coach) Romeo (Crennel) that the offensive coaches said I was too small,'' Northcutt said. ``They feel like they want bigger receivers. Josh (Cribbs) is the same size as me, but it's OK.''
Northcutt sounded like he knows his days in Cleveland are coming to an end (Northcutt's contract expires after this season).
``I understand the business,'' he said. ``And it's OK. It's very OK. I'm a grown man. I'm a seven-year vet. I know the signs. I know everything that's going on.
``It's OK. I want to help this team win any way possible without being a distraction.''
The Browns are playing at a time when Braylon Edwards says coaches are not aggressive enough in the red zone and Kellen Winslow says the coaches were holding the offense back. Questions are asked about why Reuben Droughns doesn't get the ball enough and where Joe Jurevicius has been.
But since Crennel arrived and brought Maurice Carthon with him as offensive coordinator, Northcutt has never been part of the offense.
``Absolutely not,'' Northcutt said. ``But it's not my system. It's his. I just got to fit in where I get in, help in any way possible.''
In the Butch Davis era, Northcutt was used as the third receiver, primarily in the slot. Using Northcutt in the slot meant he could use his quickness to beat the third corner -- a matchup that favored the Browns. Northcutt had his best seasons that way.
In 2002, the Browns' only playoff season, he caught 38 passes and had five receiving touchdowns -- second on the team. He was part of the system. The next two seasons, he caught 63 and 55 passes for bad teams. Last season, the number dropped to 42, and this season he has 16 catches.
In the Crennel era, Northcutt has rarely been used in the slot, if ever. He's been used as a starter, where at times he appeared to try too hard or not be comfortable, or now he's the fourth receiver.
``I'm a fourth receiver/punt returner,'' Northcutt said. ``We really don't run four receiver sets, so I'm a punt returner for the Cleveland Browns.''
Northcutt was given a starting job last season, and this season he started seven games while Joe Jurevicius was out with a rib injury. And Northcutt didn't exactly grab hold of the job.
He did not catch a lot of balls -- and he dropped others.
His drop that turned into a touchdown in Carolina was a killer for the offense.
The Browns are trying to get the ball to several players while they also are trying to develop Cribbs.
``We have everyone who wants the ball, but there is only one ball, and it can only go to one guy,'' Crennel said in frustration when asked about Jurevicius. ``It's tough to split the ball up and throw them with both hands.''
But part of using players is finding their proper role and using them so all succeed. In their one playoff season, the Browns got production from five players catching passes -- Northcutt, Jamel White, Kevin Johnson, Andre Davis and Quincy Morgan -- and had William Green running.
Northcutt is now with his sixth offensive coordinator in seven years, and he has been near AWOL while starting 18-of-26 games.
Sunday against Pittsburgh, he did not look happy. Often Northcutt sat alone at the end of the bench.
``Of course (I wasn't happy),'' Northcutt said. ``We lost. I didn't play and contribute. I should be mad.''
The size issue is interesting, because Crennel often has said of linemen that it doesn't matter what they weigh if they are productive. Small receivers have succeeded in the NFL.
``I've been told that since high school,'' Northcutt said. ``I've made a lot of money at my size. I wouldn't change it for the world. And I will continue.''
So as another long Browns season fades away, Northcutt will play his role as a punt returner -- and he leads the league in that category with a 14.4-yard average.
He won't say it, but he also will play out the final six games and then head to another team as a free agent.
``It is what it is,'' Northcutt said. ``I'm a seven-year vet, I've been here. I've seen guys get mad, and it doesn't do anything for you. I don't think they put me in this position. God put me in this position.
``Strengthening my mind. He put me in this position. I don't blame anybody.''
Brownies . . .
The Browns practiced early and finished around noon so players could celebrate Thanksgiving.... Cincinnati receiver Chad Johnson finally owned up to his feeling that Leigh Bodden is one of the better corners he's faced. ``He has a technique that he plays with that I've never seen before,'' Johnson said. ``He used it the first game, where he threw (Carson Palmer) and my rhythm off. It was something new that I had never seen before.''... Bodden missed practice Wednesday and is questionable with a sprained ankle.... Coach Marvin Lewis on Cincinnati's chances to make the playoffs at 5-5: ``We've got to make hay now.''

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Russell?s big hit still topic for discussion
Friday, November 24, 2006
James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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BEREA, Ohio?The last time Ocho Cinco played the Browns, he was knocked loco by safety Brian Russell.
Bengals Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson, also known as Ocho Cinco, usually avoids the big hit, but Russell caught him leaping for a pass and laid him flat in the closing minutes of Cincinnati?s 34-17 win on Sept. 17.
The hit knocked off Johnson?s helmet and bloodied his chin. He was taken out of the game..
Russell said expect more of the same Sunday when the two teams meet in Cleveland.
"I?m going to try to hit anybody I get a chance to if it?s a clean shot," Russell said. "If I get a chance to hit somebody this week, it will happen. It?s great if they?re thinking about it because you want them to drop passes."
Russell, who was not penalized for the hit, said he appreciated that Johnson said the hit was not a dirty play. The NFL also didn?t fine Russell.
Asked to recall Russell?s hit this week, Johnson said, "That was a long time ago ? It?s football, I don?t care about hits. It?s going to happen. It?s part of the game."
The Browns hope Russell?s hit has a lingering effect on Johnson?s psyche.
Cincinnati has scored 72 points the past two games. Johnson has been dominant in the two games, catching 17 passes for 450 yards and five touchdowns.
The Browns hope to make more jarring hits like the one on Johnson.
"I love that play," Browns linebacker Andra Davis said. "(Russell) did a good job. "(Johnson) was talking a lot of noise and somebody finally got him. And that was good. I think he?ll be looking for Russ and make sure he stays out of Russ? way."
Surprisingly, there was one Browns player who disapproved of Russell?s hit on Johnson ? Braylon Edwards. The secondyear receiver said he didn?t feel the hit was necessary because the football was not catchable.
Edwards used an expletive to describe Russell?s hit.
"Obviously, I won?t say anything to Brian because he didn?t hit me. The guy is on the opposite team and I?m not taking up for that guy," Edwards said. "But if you just look at the nature of the game, they always complain when we do anything like put our hands on them or we cut-block, they want to fight you after the play.
"We have plays like that where Chad Johnson clearly wasn?t catching that pass. (Cornerback) Leigh Bodden had already intercepted it and then Brain just leveled (Johnson). You see it time and time again."
Browns coach Romeo Crennel expects Johnson to be at his best Sunday.
"With several games since week two, I don?t think Chad will worry about it," Crennel said. "I think he will run his routes and do his thing."
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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

Wimbley worth his draft pick

Friday, November 24, 2006

By STEVE DOERSCHUK


BEREA Tim Couch. Courtney Brown. Gerard Warren. William Green. Jeff Faine. ... Yes, everyone remembers the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, the ghosts of Cleveland?s first-round past.
Don?t look now, but the Browns might have found a fast lane.
Kellen Winslow (No. 6 overall, 2004) has more catches this season than any NFL players not named Andre Johnson and Reggie Bush.
Coming off a career-best 137-yard game, Braylon Edwards (No. 3 overall, 2005) is 20th in the league in receiving yards.
The brightest future, though, might belong to outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley (No. 13 overall, 2006).
?He?s definitely an impact player,? said inside linebacker Andra Davis, a Browns captain whose alma mater, Florida, as the archrival of Wimbley?s Florida State.
?He?s making more plays than the big plays. He?s running guys down. He?s doing the job on his side when they try to run to him. He?s forcing the ball back in there to us. He?s putting a lot of pressure on quarterbacks.?
Wimbley has more sacks than any NFL rookie except Bears Round 5 surprise Mark Anderson.
Wimbley leads the Browns in sacks (61⁄2), tackles for loss (six) and quarterback pressures (11). With 231⁄2 marks in those three categories, he has about twice as many as the Browns? runner-up, Orpheus Roye (12.0).
?We have a complicated defense,? Roye said, ?but he?s getting a handle on it. He?s young, so he?s doing more thinking right now instead of performing.
?I think once he gets the defense down pat, he can just go out there and just do his thing.
?He has similarities to Simeon Rice. He could be up there to like a Joey Porter.?
Browns scouting types who recommended Wimbley see him as more talented than Porter without the cosmetic bad-boy kick.
Davis said he respects Wimbley on a personal level:
?Great dude. Very humble. Down to earth. God-fearing. Great person all around.?
Pittsburgh revealed its respect for Wimbley by committing chips and double teams to him on pass plays. Wimbley still had the Browns? only sack.
Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher said Wimbley has ?a really bright future? and is in an ideal mentoring situation, with veteran Willie McGinest playing the other outside linebacker.
The Browns don?t have enough pass-rushing threats and are likely to address that by spending a high 2007 pick on a defensive lineman.
Wimbley?s sack of Ben Roethlisberger last Sunday might have been a game-winner. He closed quickly and lunged toward the torso of the Pittsburgh passer. He took him down for a 10-yard loss that would have set up a third-and-20 with six minutes left and the Browns on top 20-10.
Instead, Wimbley latched onto Roethlisberger?s facemask while making the tackle, enabling the Steelers to keep a comeback alive.
?Kamerion jumped at the quarterback instead of staying on his feet,? Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel said. ?We talk to them about not jumping, because once you leave your feet, you have no control.
?We are going to put an emphasis on staying on your feet, running through the guy and wrapping him up.?
Setbacks aside, this much is sure: Crennel isn?t sending Wimbley back.
Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Browns might double back

Droughns, Wright could share load
Friday, November 24, 2006 Mary Kay Cabot
Plain Dealer Reporter
Even if running back Reuben Droughns is healthy enough to return Sunday against the Bengals, he might have to sacrifice some of his carries to backup Jason Wright.
Coach Romeo Crennel indicated Wednesday the 1-2 punch of powerful Droughns and shifty Wright might help jumpstart the Browns' rushing offense.
"If we can get everybody into the game, it would be intriguing to have that mix," Crennel said.
Droughns, who sprained his foot in Atlanta on Nov. 12 and sat out the Pittsburgh game last Sunday, practiced without restrictions Wednesday and Thursday and is expected to play against the Bengals, who are 21st against the run with an average of 123.2 yards allowed per game.
But Wright, who made his first career start against the Steelers, earned another look. He rushed for 74 yards on 18 carries for a 4.1-yard average and a long gain of 11.
He also fumbled once to set up a Pittsburgh field goal that allowed the Steelers to pull within 10-3 in the third quarter of what became a 24-20 Steelers victory.
"He showed some burst and was effective at times," Crennel said. "He saw an opportunity and capitalized on it. He had the fumble, but was trying to get extra yards. It was unfortunate because it led to their first score. But he ran hard, blocked well and showed he can get the job done."
At the same time, Droughns hasn't produced what the Browns expected coming off his 1,232-yard season in 2005 and his $12 million contract extension. Droughns has missed two games with injuries this season, the foot and a shoulder in Week 3 Droughns is averaging 59 yards a game and is on pace for 826.
"I don't think he feels this is what he wants his season to be like," Crennel said. "He's had a couple of injuries and the ball hasn't come his way as many times as he's wanted it to. But when you give him the ball, he runs hard and that's what you have to look for from him."
Droughns has had two 100-yard games this season, but on four occasions he's gained 36 yards or less. What's more, his average of 3.1 yards is down from his 4.0 average last season.
"It's bad," he said before the Pittsburgh game. "We have to do better."
Wright, a smaller, speedier back at 5-10, 210 pounds, may have surprised the Steelers with his energetic performance. "No one ever heard of me, so I'm sure they assumed that I was going to be a non-factor," he said. "But the line did a great job and made some seams."
Wright, who credits Droughns with much of his development, was quick to downplay sharing carries.
//Be Sure to change Click & Image Link in Both Placesvar "It's Reuben's job," Wright said. "He was hurt. It's nothing more than that. When he's back, it's his show. Everybody wants to play, but we'll see how it works out."
As for appearing in the backfield together, Wright said: "I know other teams do that. But sometimes you need a back to take all the reps to get into the flow. We have to do what's best for our team and not what our fantasy idea of it is."
Wright said the major differences between Droughns and him are size and talent.
"Reuben's more powerful and experienced," Wright said. "He's been a prolific back. He brings things to the table that physically I don't have. I'm new, green and learning things on the run."
But his performance against Pittsburgh wasn't lost on his linemen.
"He hit the hole well," said guard Cosey Coleman. "He was able to get to the edge as far as outrunning the defense to the sidelines, and then turn it up and get upfield. I think he was a good change of pace for us as far as his speed and his shiftiness, his craftiness as a runner."
Wright, a second-year player out of Northwestern, was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the 49ers and then spent the 2004 season in Atlanta. He was signed to the Browns practice squad in September 2005 and then as a free agent in January. Thanks to a fine performance in camp, he made William Green and Lee Suggs expendable.
"I think I'm a complete player," Wright said. "I have a lot of confidence in my ability. I don't think we saw everything [against Pittsburgh], but hopefully I showed I can play when called upon.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4670

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Edwards regrets answer about hit

Browns receiver backs up on comments he made about teammate Russell

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

BEREA - Whether an apology was offered or accepted is still unclear.
But Braylon Edwards and Brian Russell apparently have buried their differences over Edwards' remarks criticizing Russell's hit on Cincinnati Bengals star Chad Johnson in the second game of the season. And Browns coach Romeo Crennel sounded most irritated about Edwards making his feelings public.
``It was a legal hit. I told him if he has a problem with the way Brian plays, he should go talk to Brian about it,'' Crennel said. ``You don't air family laundry. If you don't like your parents, you don't go putting it in the paper. Go talk to your parents about it; go talk to your school counselor about it.''
On Wednesday, second-year receiver Edwards said he didn't see the need for the hit after cornerback Leigh Bodden intercepted a pass intended for Johnson. Edwards said he didn't know he'd made Thursday's headlines until ``somebody came up to me and said, `What did you mean by that?' ''
He said he regretted ``answering it the way I did because it came off a lot different than I wanted it to,'' but didn't believe the question was relevant to Sunday's home game against the Bengals. Edwards told Russell, a five-year veteran free safety, that he was speaking in general terms.
``The way I talked to Brian, `I wasn't trying to say you were a dirty player, I wasn't trying to throw you under the bus,' '' Edwards said Friday. ``That's my teammate. The only thing I was saying is that being a receiver in this league we get left out to dry a lot. It comes with the territory and I love to play the game. But I just said, `I wouldn't want to get hit like that.' ''
Russell wouldn't say if Edwards apologized.
``He's my teammate and we're going to go to battle together, trying to get a win on Sunday and I'm going to play physical in that game,'' Russell said. ``We keep that stuff in-house. It's behind us.''
The only hint of animosity came when Russell was asked if any Bengals thought his hit was too rough.
``The only response I heard or paid attention to was Chad and he felt it was a clean hit,'' Russell said. ``He's a guy that plays hard every game. That says something about his character and the fact that he respects the game.''
Edwards believes he has repaired the damage with Russell.
``You never want anything like that, especially team-related,'' Edwards said. ``Things like that divide from within and that's something we don't want to do. Everything is put past us now.''
Russell's hit knocked Johnson out of the game and left him bleeding from the chin, but Johnson complimented Russell the next day.
Edwards also took a shot at the Browns' timid red zone offense, following the lead of tight end Kellen Winslow, who criticized the play-calling earlier this year. But Crennel didn't use an angry tone when talking about Edwards on Friday.
``We had that situation occur earlier in the year because these young guys don't know what they don't know,'' Crennel said. ``Their job is to play football and they should concentrate on playing football.''
As for Russell's hit, Crennel said: ``Sometimes guys say things before they think. I think Braylon was talking from the receiver's standpoint. As a receiver, he doesn't want to get hit like that. It was not so much that he was attacking Brian.''
Crennel didn't say if he would fine Edwards.
``When you talk about fining players for conduct detrimental, you have to have a track record develop where you call the guy in, you talk about what you expect and then if the behavior continues you might need to use conduct detrimental,'' he said.
Edwards has spoken out before, putting down Carolina defensive backs Chris Gamble and Ken Lucas before a 20-12 road loss to the Panthers and saying the Browns were coming after the Steelers last week to avenge a 41-0 rout in 2005. Pittsburgh won 24-20. Last year, when Trent Dilfer was the starting quarterback, Edwards said rookie Charlie Frye would give the team a spark.
Drawing on his time with the New York Jets and second-year receiver Keyshawn Johnson in 1997, Crennel doesn't think Edwards is a hopeless cause.
``I had some experience with a guy in New York and his rookie year he wrote a book that said, `(Just) Give Me the Damn Ball,' '' Crennel said. ``Braylon probably could write a sequel to that one. That guy turned out to be a pretty good receiver and a pretty good team player. Hopefully we're going to get (Edwards) on the right track and make him a good team guy, a productive guy.''
Bodden update
Bodden (high ankle sprain) said it will be up to Crennel and the doctors to decide if he misses his third game in a row. He was limited in practice and is questionable.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Browns fans take loyalty to extreme
Team?s faithful angry, but most not ready to walk away

Sunday, November 26, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

</IMG> TONY DEJAK ASSOCIATED PRESS Fellow Browns fans can sympathize with Lou Rittenberry of Mansfield, who sat dejectedly after a loss in 2002.


BEREA, Ohio ? Cleveland Browns fans are among the most loyal in professional sports, but there comes a time when even the staunchest supporter reaches a breaking point.
More and more, it seems as if Browns fans are heading in that direction.
"I?ve always been a Browns fan and I?ll always be a Browns fan; however, this is almost to the point of ridiculousness," said Rod Bennett of Columbus, a season ticket-holder. "Here we are since 1999, one of the most futile franchises that is playing, or trying to play in some respects. This year should have been a year of improvement, and marked improvement."
More than 70 thousand people flock to Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sundays, only to usually leave disappointed and upset. It has been the same process for seven years: Fans begin the season with optimism, show up for the games faithfully and wind up angry after they have invested time and money into a losing product.
The growing disdain can be felt in Cleveland, read in the papers and heard on sportstalk radio.
The Browns enter a game today against the Cincinnati Bengals at 3-7 and all but assured of their seventh losing season in eight years. They are 44-83 since returning to the NFL in 1999.
Through three regimes, the message delivered to the fans has been consistent: Be patient. The Browns are 9-17 under the current management group led by general manager Phil Savage and coach Romeo Crennel.
Lakewood native Mark Beavers heads the Buckeye Browns backers, which consists of approximately 550 members. He said the overall mood of the hundreds of fans in his organization is gloomy.
"I see the frustration at a high level building," Beavers said. "Browns fans are like a large family, and you?re not always going to like every member in your family, but deep down you still love them. It?s the same way with the Browns organization."
Fan message boards also are heating up. Most feelings range from trying to stay loyal to outright rage.
"These guys are just cashing paychecks and getting pampered like little boys in Cub Scout troops. ? What?s changed since ?99?" one fan posted on a Web site last week.
But, another fan wrote, "This is Cleveland, and if you aren?t used to going back and rooting for a team who breaks your heart time and time again, you will be. And if you think it?s pointless or feel as if you?ve been ripped off because of a losing season, you aren?t a real Browns fan."
Such undying support would make an interesting case study.
Northeast Ohio fans seldom attended Cavaliers game before LeBron James arrived, and the Indians have struggled with attendance since their last World Series appearance in 1997.
So why do Cleveland fans walk out on other pro sports franchises but not the Browns?
Browns football is woven into the city?s fabric, says Jack Lesyk, director of the Ohio Center for Sports Psychology. Cleveland has always been a football town, with a rich NFL history that dates to the Paul Brownled teams of the 1950s.
Many are second-, third-, and even fourth-generation fans who followed the sentiments of their parents and grandparents. Therefore, it?s not easy for fans to dismiss the Browns, no matter how long it takes to turn the organization around.
"Cleveland is a very patient city with everything," Lesyk said. "We had to evolve slowly from an old iron-and-steel town to a more modern town, and we?ve done that very, very slowly.
"We don?t demand a lot and we don?t demand it quickly. But, yes, eventually there may be a breaking point for different (fans) at different times."
[email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Browns' late-game offense offensive

They've scored only four second-half TDs in the past six games

By Patrick McManamon

CLEVELAND - The Browns' offensive woes have been much discussed this season.
For good reason.
What hasn't been discussed much is how badly the Browns have struggled in the second half of games -- especially since their victory against the Oakland Raiders.
Since that game in Oakland, the Browns have had the ball 43 times in the second half.
They have scored four touchdowns.
One of those was on a kickoff return against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Another was a late touchdown against the San Diego Chargers when the game was already decided.
A touchdown against the Denver Broncos came after an interception gave the offense the ball at the Broncos 18-yard line.
Their one touchdown drive of any consequence came against the New York Jets, when they drove 57 yards for a third-quarter score. But even that drive ended on a 30-yard touchdown pass.
That means that in the second half of the past six games the Browns have not had one drive when they have hunkered down, moved the ball the length of the field and punched it in on a goal-to-go situation.
That's pitiful.
And it means that in the past six games in the second half the Browns got...
? Three field goals against the Carolina Panthers;
? A touchdown with a short field against the Broncos;
? A touchdown against the Jets;
? A touchdown with 1:11 left against the Chargers;
? A field goal against the Atlanta Falcons;
? A field goal and a kickoff return touchdown against the Steelers.
The case could be made that the past four games the Browns have scored one offensive touchdown in the second half that matters.
The past two second halves, the Browns got three points from the offense (and seven points from the special teams in one of those games). It's not like they are settling for field goals a lot, either.
In those 43 second-half possessions, the Browns have kicked eight field goals. They have punted 23 times and turned the ball over five times.
That means that 53 percent of the time in the second half, the Browns have punted. And on nearly two of every three possessions they either punt or turn the ball over.
No team can win with those numbers.
And it speaks to a variety of problems that go well beyond the team's well-documented problems in the red zone. Those struggles become irrelevant because the offense struggles all over the field, not just in the red zone.
The only thing uglier than these stats is the first half of the same games: 35 possessions, three touchdowns, seven field goals. And the Browns have actually scored more points in the second half than they have in the first -- 52-to-49.
But the second half comes after a team has had 30 minutes to study the opposition, pick up tendencies and take advantage of trends.
Halftime adjustments can be subtle or strong, but they can win games.
In the era of ``managing the game,'' the second half is when games are won.
Either the Browns aren't making adjustments, they lack the talent to overcome the other team's adjustments, or they're not good enough to carry out their own adjustments.
``I think defenses have done a good job of coming out and adjusting to us,'' guard Cosey Coleman said. ``Defenses have adjusted well to eliminate our success. After that point, we have to find answers and ways to adjust again to continue moving the ball.''
Or, as Kellen Winslow said: ``We just gotta do better.''
To say the least.
Frye time
Charlie Frye's numbers haven't changed much from the first half to the second in those games.
His passer rating for the first half is 73.26, and for the second half it's 76.56.
Those aren't great numbers, but at least they're consistent.
Braylon time
Braylon Edwards, who seems to have an opinion on just about everything these days (he probably would offer an insight on Karl Rove's performance in the recent election if you asked), offered that the Browns should be able to come out of these offensive doldrums today against the Cincinnati Bengals.
``We know what they do,'' Edwards said. ``We know what the holes are in their defense. The main thing is hitting those plays. The big thing is hitting those plays all game long.''
Edwards does not say this without foundation.
Drew Brees threw for 510 yards against the Bengals on Sunday, and a week earlier the Chargers scored 49 points and Philip Rivers threw for 338 yards.
The past five games, the Bengals have given up 1,597 yards passing and nine touchdowns.
Today it might be a concern if the Browns do not gain yards.
``Looking at their defense, we definitely can score points,'' Edwards said. ``We definitely can make plays. The big thing is, are we going to consistently do what we can do?
``Or are we going to do what we've been doing?''
Edwards II
Several e-mailers wondered why Edwards did not break away to score on the pass he caught against the Steelers when he spun free from Ike Taylor and ran down the sideline.
Safety Troy Polamalu tracked Edwards down from across the field, and the e-mailers wondered if Edwards was running full speed.
One problem: When Edwards started running, the ball came loose, so he had to slow down to regain control. Of the play, he said:
``I caught it. (The ball) was a little slippery and for the first 10 yards I wanted to get it secure. Before I even caught the ball Troy had already taken off. He took off right away and he kind of closed me to the sideline.
``He already had the angle, plus he already had the jump. By the time I really got going, he was already there. I tried to step back at the last second, but it was too late. He made a good defensive play.''
Trip to England
The Cleveland Scene detailed the hopes of folks in England to lure a Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Browns game to London next season now that the league has committed to up to two international games per year from 2007-2011.
Each team will have to give up one home game, and England hopes to lure the owners of two soccer franchises to play each other. Randy Lerner owns Aston Villa, and Malcolm Glazer owns Manchester United.
One problem: Because of the NFL's scheduling rotation, the Browns won't play Tampa Bay again after this season until 2010.
Cheap shot?
The Browns saw or heard about Broncos center Tom Nalen, who dove at the knees of Chargers defensive end Igor Olshansky when the Broncos were spiking the ball to stop the clock last week.
This ``block'' looked like a blatant cheap shot -- no other lineman even moved -- and drew two roundhouse punches from Olshansky, who was ejected. Olshansky said he reacted the way he did because he had knee surgery a month ago, and the cut block easily could have resulted in serious injury.
Browns lineman Lennie Friedman said he knows Nalen well and that Nalen is a great guy. That led some to wonder what else had gone on during the game.
Coleman said a Jets defensive lineman hit him after he had told the Jets the Browns were taking a knee.
``That's a heated rivalry,'' defensive end Orpheus Roye said. ``So you never know what goes on between the trenches. A lot of talk and stuff goes on, so anything can spark anything.''
The league, though, recognized the viciousness of Nalen's actions. Nalen was fined $25,000, Olshansky $10,000.
And finally
If Reuben Droughns plays today, it will be interesting to see how he's used -- if he'll share time with Jason Wright -- and how he plays.
Droughns is hearing a lot of questions and whispers about not being the same back he was a year ago, and he's always maintained it's as important to him to prove he deserves his new contract as it was to earn it.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

View from Pluto

NOT EDWARDS' TIME JUST YET Browns must make sure he knows his place

By Terry Pluto

I've never heard of a situation quite like Braylon Edwards/Brian Russell, where Edwards (a receiver) criticized Russell (a safety) for what he thought was a cheap shot on Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson. Let's start with a couple of facts: 1) Russell and Edwards are teammates on the Browns. 2) Russell was not fined by the NFL for the hit. 3) Johnson -- always opinionated -- was given a chance to rip Russell for the hit, but didn't. Not when it happened, and not when it was brought up again a few days ago. 4) The hit happened nine weeks ago, and Edwards just brought it up with the media Wednesday. Why now?
? Just what is Edwards' agenda? Most of what players say during the week means nothing. But when you call out a teammate on defense -- why? Life on a 3-7 team isn't hard enough?
? It's no secret that Edwards likes Johnson, and the two spent about 30 minutes visiting the day before the first Cincinnati game. Was Edwards trying to impress Johnson with the comment on Russell? Wrong way to do it.
? Russell will be a free agent at the end of the season. The veteran safety has indicated he'd like to stay here. The coaches have credited him with helping fellow safety Sean Jones become an impact player, and with being the quarterback of the injury-riddled secondary. He's having a solid year. Even with young safety Brodney Pool emerging, there's nothing wrong with having three good safeties. Pool also can play some cornerback.
? Edwards also ripped the play-calling of new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson. He wants the offense to be given more freedom to be creative near the end zone. There might be some validity to the claims, but I kept asking myself why Edwards seems to think that he is a star whose every opinion must be expressed publicly? Guess that's what happens when a guy is 23 and signed a $40 million contract with about $18 million guaranteed.
? Edwards caught 19 passes (three touchdowns) as a rookie, playing 10 games before going down for knee surgery. He came back faster than anticipated this season, but has been inconsistent. He has 41 catches for three touchdowns and a 14.9-yard average. He has dropped more than his share of balls, and the coaches have been telling him to pay more attention to his pass routes.
? Edwards has the natural ability to be a star, but he has to learn the attention to detail. He also needs to know that he has not arrived. If the coaches have yet to forcefully deliver the message -- they should. They also should make sure Edwards knows that he did not run the proper route on the final play of the Pittsburgh Steelers game -- the heave into the end zone -- and he appeared to be jogging.
? Yes, Kellen Winslow speaks out. Yes, he criticized the play-calling of former offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. But no, Winslow never knocked a teammate. He has been a strong supporter of Charlie Frye, who Winslow knows has been taking heat from the media and fans. Yes, he wants every ball thrown to him, but he also seems to care deeply about winning. He is very upset after losses, and his work ethic is beyond question.
? Here's another difference between Winslow and Edwards: When you throw Winslow the ball, odds are he'll catch it. He's made catches at his shoe-tops, and with his finger tips while jumping. He catches the ball in traffic. If anyone should get the ball thrown his way near the goal line, it's Winslow.
TALKIN' BROWNS
Droughns' future not set despite his big contract
? Wonder if the Browns are asking this question: Is Reuben Droughns the running back for next year? With coach Romeo Crennel discussing using more of Jason Wright today against the Bengals, it makes you wonder what the Browns think of Droughns. He missed last week's game with a foot injury, but he's supposed to be healthy for today.
? Droughns signed his first multiyear deal in the spring. It was $13 million for four years, with about $5 million guaranteed. In 2007, his salary will be $1.25 million; in 2008, it will be $1.75 million and in 2009, $2.75 million -- none of that guaranteed. In other words, the Browns are not financially married to this guy.
? Since taking over as offensive coordinator, Davidson has been giving Droughns the ball. He had 125 yards in 33 carries against the New York Jets, 36 yards in 19 carries against the San Diego Chargers and 54 yards in 21 carries against the Atlanta Falcons. It seems Davidson's goal is to run the ball 25-30 times a game, and he's never used less than 27 rushes per game.
? In the previous two years, Droughns gained more than 1,200 yards. This season, he's at 472 yards in eight games. He missed two with injuries. Is the drop-off due to: 1) His injuries? 2) A certain comfort level after getting the new contract? 3) Off-field legal problems?
? Droughns has issues. He is not guaranteed a prime spot in the backfield in 2007, and the Browns should be looking at tailbacks in the draft or in free agency.
? With all the talking from Edwards, it's refreshing to see a respectful Kamerion Wimbley just play the game well. He's had sacks in each of the last three games. His 6.5 sacks are more than any Browns player had a year ago. He already has set the sack record for a Browns rookie. His 11 quarterback pressures lead the team. And he's still adjusting from being a defensive end in college to being an outside linebacker in the NFL.
? The Browns should be able to put some heat on the Bengals' Carson Palmer. He's been sacked 29 times this season, and obviously isn't moving as well since having major knee surgery. He was sacked only 25 and 19 times in his first two seasons. But he can still throw, and you can be sure the Bengals saw how the Browns struggled against the Steelers in the no-huddle offense.
? I keep hearing from fans who want to write off Charlie Frye. At this point, that makes no sense because: 1) The Browns have no other viable quarterback option on the team. 2) He has only 15 NFL starts, not even a full season. 3) Most young quarterbacks struggle. 4) There are six more games to evaluate him, so let's see if he makes progress. 5) He's played for two offensive coordinators. He's behind a ragged offensive line. 6) He has a lot to learn about throwing away the ball, etc. But he's got the right attitude and work ethic. The question will be his talent level, and there's no reason to rush to judgment.
? Fans should hope Frye does cut it, because if not -- then the Browns need to look for a quarterback. And they might need a running back. And they need a few offensive linemen. And they need a couple of defensive linemen. Get the point?

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Canton

It?s too soon to quit on Frye

Sunday, November 26, 2006

BROWNS BEAT STEVE DOERSCHUK

CLEVELAND

don?t have a war room, film room or conference table.
No stable of scouts, or the whammy of making calls on which a billion-dollar business rides.
That?s why Phil Savage makes the big bucks.
But ...
I?d bank on Charlie Frye at least one more year, knowing there?s a heckuva chance I could go bust.
Our summer research project revealed that third rounds of drafts, from which Frye hails, is a no-man?s land for long-term starting quarterbacks.
Brian Griese, the best Round 3 quarterback of recent vintage, left Denver when the Broncos concluded he?s no ... Jake Plummer?
Griese, 31, has made just 21 starts over the last four years.
Frye, 25, is familiar to this audience. We naturally spot the similarities between Frye and Tim Couch.
Both were anointed as Browns starters not long after getting drafted. Opponents treated both like punching bags. Both got sacked close to 60 times in their first 16 pro games.
Analysis of either is difficult because of suspect supporting casts.
Frye has a more attractive crew around him, but it has issues.
Savage?s spin:
?There have been an awful lot of positives in a fairly adverse situation. The offensive line has been in flux since Day 1, with LeCharles (Bentley) going down.
?Then you?ve got two receivers (Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow Jr.) who really never played in the NFL. They?re not rookies, but they?re like sophomores.
?Put all that around a young quarterback and I understand why we?ve had issues on that side of the ball. It doesn?t take a genius to figure that out.?
That?s all fair to a point.
But which offensive line would you rather have?
Frye?s, with a $36 million left tackle and four other veterans who have started in Super Bowls?
Or the Couch 2000 group, starring Roman Oben, Jim Bundren, Dave Wohlabaugh, Everett Lindsay and Steve Zahursky?
Frye has an adequate trio of backs in Reuben Droughns, Jason Wright and Jason Harrison.
Couch was working with Errict Rhett and Travis Prentice that day against the Steelers.
There have been worse big threes than Frye?s (Edwards, Winslow and Joe Jurevicius).
The Couch 2000 group was Kevin Johnson, Darrin Chiaverini and David Patten.
Couch demonstrated ability Frye may not have in his first home start against the Steelers.
It was Sept. 17, 2000. Couch went 23 of 32 for 316 yards, two TDs and no interceptions in a 23-20 win over the Steelers. Couch engineered scoring drives of 87 and 95 yards that brought fourth-quarter points.
If Couch could bottle a game and put it on his mantel, that would be the one.
Dig up an updated Frye bio. Weigh it against what you?ve seen. I think you?ll agree Frye has nothing close to such a signature game.
That?s troubling, but you wonder?
How much did the young Couch benefit by playing for a head coach who grew up as a quarterback?
How has the perception of Frye been shaped by the fact his head coach is a former defensive linemen, and that his coordinators have been a former fullback and an ex-offensive lineman?
A few items raise red flags around Frye. The touch on and timing of his passes can be erratic. He doesn?t help blocking breakdowns by sometimes holding the ball too long. He seems not to see too many wide-open receivers.
Yet, he shows glimpses of decent all-around skills. He?s creative, confident, resilient, down-to-earth. He?s a leader Browns players respect and fans will go crazy for if he wins.
Within two plays after taking a killer hit, he?s in attack mode.
It would be expensive and time-consuming to bring in a new QB. Doing so would suck resources away from acquiring needs on the offensive line, defensive line, cornerback, and perhaps running back.
I think the smart play is to hope the experience Frye is gaining now gives him a chance to break through as a third-year pro.
?The kid?s really tough,? says Savage, who, I think, will push hard for Frye to remain the man in ?07.
Frye got his first substantial work one year and six days ago. In three series in relief of Trent Dilfer, he completed 6 of 11 throws in a 22-0 rout of Miami.
Frye since has started 15 games, giving him 16 substantial outings ? the equivalent of an NFL season.
Savage and his staff are analyzing Frye?s 16-game statistics in relation to those of four ?name? quarterbacks in their first 16 games (see chart): Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Carson Palmer and Ben Roethlisberger.
?Believe it or not,? Savage said, ?his statistics are in the same ballpark with those guys. He?s not necessarily the worst, not necessarily the best. He?s somewhere in the ballpark in completions, yardage, touchdowns, interceptions, wins and losses.?
Savage didn?t mention sacks. Frye has been getting knocked out of the park there.
What to do?
Get him out of 2006 alive. Hope LeCharles Bentley heals, and get him help on the line.
Forget Kyle Boller, Joey Harrington and, for that matter, Couch.
Gamble on Frye another year.

Reach Repository sports writer Steve Doerschuk at (330) 580-8347 or e-mail: [email protected]

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

Browns' draft plans are in Frye's hands


Sunday, November 26, 2006

Tony Grossi
Plain Dealer Reporter

Will the next quarterback of the Browns be . . .
Notre Dame's Brady Quinn?
Ohio State's Troy Smith?
Or Michigan's Chad Henne?
The Browns, of course, hope that Charlie Frye makes it a moot question.
But if he doesn't offer some encouraging signs over the last six games, Frye will put the Browns in a position they do not want to be in - evaluating quarterbacks in the 2007 draft.
A year ago, owner Randy Lerner told General Manager Phil Savage that he must decide on his quarterback of the future for the start of the 2006 season. That's partly why Frye was indirectly given the job in the off-season.
That's also partly why Trent Dilfer indicated he would retire rather than return in 2006. The other reason was his disagreements with former offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon. Dilfer was traded in May as Savage scrambled to get something in return.
If Frye doesn't convince everyone he can not only maintain the starting job - but also win at the helm - the team may have to strongly consider one of the above in the April draft.
Quinn is expected to be a top-five pick. At Notre Dame, he has been schooled by Charlie Weis, whose offense was learned by Browns offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson in New England.
Smith, of course, is the people's choice. He will ride into the draft carrying the Heisman Trophy and possibly the national college championship. He may be selected after the Browns' first pick and before their second pick. The Browns hope that is the case.
Henne, who has a year of eligibility remaining and has not said he is leaving Michigan, has been consistently outplayed by Smith, but some Browns scouts like him ahead of Smith. They cite his more preferable height (Henne is listed at 6-2) and the fact Michigan quarterbacks have a knack for developing into winning QBs in the NFL.
Did somebody mention Tom Brady - the Michigan quarterback who put Weis on the map and won the Patriots three Super Bowls?
With all the other issues confronting Savage in the next draft, this one will command the most attention. Stay tuned.
Another J.B. fan:
San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson scored his 100th career touchdown in his 89th game, surpassing the record of 93 set by Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith.
Tomlinson, who grew up in north Texas, told reporters: "Obviously, I looked up to Emmitt Smith growing up, but Jim Brown, to me, is an icon. The man is incredible."
When the Browns visited the Chargers last month, Tomlinson was flabbergasted to meet Brown after the game.
Coach killer! . .. Coach killer?!!
Jim Mora did not say that Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick was "a coach killer," but he agreed with the Fox Sports Radio host who used the term.

"I think you're correct, and it worries me a little bit because my son is the head coach down there, ya know?" the elder Mora said.
Vick responded: "I'm speechless. I never thought he would say that, but that must be the way he feels. If he feels that way, so be it."
The younger Mora, whose tenuous future in Atlanta was exacerbated by a loss to the Browns, said he spoke to his father about the comment.
"He regrets saying it," Mora said.
Another father-son NFL story:
When Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald entertained questions on a conference call with Minnesota media, he didn't realize his father, Larry Sr., was asking some of them. Larry Fitzgerald Sr. is sports editor of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
After finally recognizing his father's voice, the younger Fitzgerald said, "Dad, you can ask me those questions at home."
What about Jimmy Hoffa?
Since the 2002 season, the NFL average for making field goals from 50 yards or more is 54 percent. In Giants Stadium, it is 22 percent.
Miami kicker Olindo Mare, who spent the 1996 season on the Giants' practice squad, said he believes speculation that facility workers create a wind tunnel by opening doors behind the end zones.
Mare said to reporters that he was told "by somebody I know up there" that workers opened the doors to thwart his 51-yard field goal attempt a month ago in a game against the Jets. Mare said it was the first kick from that distance that he can remember falling short.
Another home-field advantage:
Qwest Field in Seattle was designed to retain crowd noise. The result: The Seahawks led the NFL last year in opponents' false starts with 24 and lead again this year with 15.
Here and there:
In the last seven games, the Titans are averaging 166.2 rushing yards a game - best in the league. . . . The Patriots set an obscure record by winning four consecutive road games by 22 points or more. This year they've won on the road by 35, 24, 22 and 25 points. . . . DeShaun Foster will keep his starting job in the Carolina backfield, but rookie DeAngelo Williams' 114 rushing yards against St. Louis will earn him a larger role.